A circulation nexus becomes a new hybrid for event architecture.
Laphant was commissioned by Uber to envision a new lounge concept within the pick up and drop area for Uber passengers and drivers at large scale music and arts events. The goal was to drastically improve the experience and create a usable space that addressed the fundamental needs of this area.
The project was created within the ethos of Uber’s new global brand redevelopment with Wolff Olins and we wanted this project to showcase the new identity of the company.
The project was designed for initial implementation at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California. The hot arid climate and immense volume of foot traffic through the site presented adverse existing conditions that the proposal needed to respond to. Desert temperatures, strong winds, dust, extreme sun, as well as massive crowds in the thousands were viewed as opportunities for shaping the design.
Designed as a hybrid space engaging multiple purposes, the project performs as a sweeping brand initiative, a functional lounge space, and a broad creative gesture. The plan curves along the landscape and creates openings and passageways to guide the flow of pedestrian traffic. The array of individual prismatic elements undulates in the vertical axis, creating cavities for seating and lounging. Overall the space provides relaxation, replenishment, and orientation. On a metaphoric level, the design resembles a cross between a soundwave and a cave.
Celebrating one of the most essential resources in the lounge, automatic motion sensors distribute drinking water in vertical columns within a sculptural basin. The act of drinking becomes a social experience and an engaging feature in the space. Cleaning stations equipped with pressurized air are embedded within key sections of the structure to allow for removal of debris and dust accumulated on the body and clothing. Integrated wireless charging stations and wifi populate the space.
Partnerships with brands like Casper create a means to display new products to the public and simultaneously amplify one of the essential amenities of the lounge which is to promote rest and relaxation. A Casper mattress capsule displays iconic products and educates the public on the brand’s mission and identity. Custom designed multilevel lounging cavities make use of the innovative mattress technology.
Providing a stark contrast to the desert landscape, utilizing Uber’s re-branded color scheme, and proposing a novel structural assembly system, the material palette provides a multitude of functions. A tensioned semi-opaque membrane stretches across a secondary layer of structural perforated metal skin to form the primary material in the space. This layered material eliminates the need for structural supports and creates an ephemeral quality, filtering and emitting light during day and night. Cotton textiles and sculptural resin comprise the materials for the seating features.
Rather than relying on excessively branded signage, the space itself and the positive experience it creates serves as the marketing platform. Instead of relying on traditional branded signage which would disrupt the cohesion and purity of the overall gesture, social media is the primary vehicle to capture the brand initiative. Real time reactions and memories are captured, telling the story from the individual’s perspective and forming the foundation of the marketing initiative.